Astronaut Buzz Aldrin to help launch luxury Hasselblad Lunar camera on May 30th
posted Friday, May 24, 2013 at 3:27 PM EDT
Legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin will help launch Hasselblad's latest camera, the Lunar, at a special event in New York City on May 30, 2013. The luxurious Lunar was announced at photokina in Germany last year and was initially pegged for a Spring 2013 release. While there was some talk about the launch date for the Lunar being pushed back to the summer, the high-end, compact system camera, which is built around a Sony NEX-7 body, seems to be back on schedule.
We couldn't get confirmation from our Hasselblad contact as to whether May 30th will be the official rollout of the new camera, but all signs point to that date. The Hasselblad Lunar event with Aldrin, which is not open to the public, will take place at Willoughby's photo dealer on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
“I’m thrilled to host this evening with Hasselblad,” said Aldrin, who is the second person to walk on the moon. “Their dynamic cameras have captured images that allowed the world to see space exploration from 1962 to today. I can’t wait for Willoughby’s to show us what they have brought back to Earth.”
The Hasselblad Lunar has received a decidedly mixed reception since it was unveiled at photokina last September, with some photo industry observers griping about the quasi-Sony camera's US$6,500 price tag, while others questioning the unusual design options for the Lunar, including choices of a wood, carbon fiber, or leather (and other materials) handgrip.
Next week's Willoughby's event, dubbed "Fly Me to the Moon," is actually not the first time the Hasselblad Lunar has been shown off in New York City. Back in April, the camera was previewed at a "Luxury Review" showecase. Below is some video that event from Foto Care.
(Via Twice)